by Lucia Franco
"Speaking of practice, my dad took it upon himself to invite Kova and Katja." I took another sip of coffee.
My stomach flipped as Hayden's stark gaze landed on me. His jaw flexed, and I had to look away because I couldn't handle the weight of his stare.
"That should be fun to see them outside of the gym." Holly mused and gave a light shrug.
"Are they staying at your house?" Hayden asked through clenched teeth. My emotions teetered on a thin line between pure panic and nervousness. Not just from Hayden's response, but from Kova coming over, and the sudden extreme bout of anxiety steamrolling through me. I was edgy. Anything could happen.
"They're staying at the Four Seasons Hotel."
Hayden's shoulders eased just a bit. Guilt ate at me for the stress I had caused him, but more so for the new lie that flew off my lips like nothing. I didn't know what Kova and Katja were doing because I didn't ask any questions after I found out they'd be coming. Inquiring too much would raise brows.
Avery clapped her hands and rubbed them together. "Before we get pampered, how about we go get some lunch? A light lunch." She eyeballed me. "We can't be looking fat in our dresses."
Eleven
With just a half hour to spare before guests arrived, I sat with Avery, Holly, and Hayden in one of the spare rooms my mom had converted into a dressing room.
Tall mirrors with bright white lights lined the walls. There were clothing racks everywhere. All we needed to do was put on our dresses.
Hayden stood off to the side scrolling through his phone, looking as striking as ever. From the charcoal colored pants that hugged his thighs like a second skin, to the rich onyx shirt with the top two buttons left undone that gave way to a glimpse of his firm chest, he wore an impish grin that shouldn't have gotten me tangled inside. He was cool and breezy chatting with Avery about the Florida Gators, the school he'd hoped to earn a gymnastics scholarship from.
"Damn, girl, don't you look hot," Avery said when Holly stepped out of the bathroom.
To me, she looked a little unsure. Wide eyes scanned the room for her brother. The dress she wore was made for her body. A silver sequin spaghetti strap top with waves of bubblegum satin sat high on her lean legs. Pin-straight hair and natural makeup completed the look.
She bit her lip. "Do I look okay, Hayden?" she asked her brother, anxiety spiking her voice. "It's not too much?"
Hayden nodded with gentle eyes. "You look great, sis. Beautiful."
"Not too much skin?"
Avery expressed amusement and said, "You can't be serious. You walk around in a onesie all day, so what's the difference?"
An airy laugh escaped Holly. "I guess you have a point, but I'm just not used to this kind of dressing up. I feel like my boobs are on display, and if the wind blows my dress, my butt will show."
"Your boobs look fantastic," Avery offered. "Not too much, not too little. I'd ask Hayden to back me up, but that's just a little weird."
He put up his hands. "That's where I draw the line."
Two knocks sounded on the door, and Mom waltzed in looking as flawless as ever, while I was still in my robe. At least I had my hair and makeup complete.
"Holly, darling"—her eyes scanned the length of her body—"that dress fits you perfectly. Spin around for me."
Holly's cheeks flamed, and she shot me a fleeting look before spinning around with her arms out. I knew what my mom was doing, she'd done it to me numerous times, and I hated it.
Mom clicked her tongue. "Magnificent. That cocktail dress was designed for you, it doesn't fit Ana that way. Keep it. It looks much better on you than it ever did her."
My lips parted as the room grew silent. I sat stone-still, staggered by her comment. I wasn't upset my mom gave the dress to Holly—she could have it—it was the fact she had the gall to insult me in front of my friends without concern for my feelings.
I glanced at Holly and suppressed the pain Mommie Dearest dealt me. Holly’s eyes were wide, and her jaw bobbed like she lost her voice. Her gaze shifted back and forth from me to my mom. Not everyone could handle Joy Rossi.
Nodding, with an artificial smile in place, I cleared my throat. "She's right. It looks amazing on you, I was going to tell you to keep it anyway."
She shook her head frantically. "Oh, no. I couldn't do that. Really."
"Nonsense," Mom butted in. "It's yours. End of discussion."
She shifted in her four-inch heels until her dissecting eyes landed on me. She glared, and my shoulders wilted like a deflating balloon. I guess her kindness toward me when I arrived was short lived.
"When do you plan to dress, Ana? After guests have arrived? Or do you plan to greet our visitors in a…a housecoat?" She snapped her gaze toward Avery. "And what about you?"
I straightened my back and answered for the both of us. No Victoria's Secret silk robe could ever be defined as a housecoat.
"Holly just stepped out of the bathroom, Mom, I was going in next, and then Avery."
She blinked. "Make sure to pat your face with finishing powder so you don't look oily. I don't want to see my reflection on your forehead. I expect to see you downstairs soon." She walked out, closing the door behind her.
Avery snapped a murderous gaze at me. Two seconds ago she was America's next top southern belle. "Can I put eye drops in her vodka so she can shit everywhere tonight?" Her face contorted with fury. She knew how my mom was, yet every time something happened, she was more appalled than the last. "I honestly don't know how you deal with her?"
I shook my head, shrugging it off. "What am I going to do, Ave? You know how she is."
"I know, I just…I don’t know. She really gets under my skin."
Holly walked over to me looking like a sad puppy. "Aid—"
"Don't worry about it. Seriously. That's my mom for you. I'm used to it. I'm just sorry you had to experience it."
Her lips flattened into a thin line. "For what it's worth, I'm sorry."
Avery stomped over to the rack of clothes and pulled out the hanger that held her glittery dress. She ripped off the clear bag and thrusted it at me. Her blue eyes were lethal. Like someone dared to serve her unsweet tea.
"Here. Wear this."
My brows snapped together. "But that's what you're wearing tonight."
"Not anymore I'm not. I'll wear the Hervé Léger one I was debating on. This will piss your mom off."
My shoulders drooped a little. I wasn't the revenge type, especially when it came to my mother.
"Ave."
Her arm dropped to the side. "You can't let her constantly get away with how she treats you. It's not right."
Hayden walked toward me and placed his hand out. I took it and stood.
"Not that I'd ever encourage you to be defiant toward your parents, but I'm going to have to agree with Avery on this one. Even from Cape Coral I saw how she treated you over the phone. But in person…" He shook his head and scoffed in disgust. "I say wear it."
"Me too," Holly said, though her voice shook.
Impulsively, I swiped the hanger out of Avery’s hand and walked into the bathroom. My heart pounded against my ribs. I never defied Mom. Ever. I couldn't believe I was going to wear this scrap of material Avery called a dress in front of my parents and their friends.
Dropping the robe, I stepped into the dress and carefully slipped it on. The straps were thin and nude while the rest was a surprisingly heavy material that fit snuggly against me. Avery's clothes were always a little too small. She liked them tight-fitting, which meant this dress hugged every curve. Not that I had noticeable ones, but tonight, in this Badgley Mischka gold sequined dress, I did.
I looked in the mirror and was rendered speechless. Good thing I was leaving tomorrow. While my boobs were average, they appeared supple and soft in the deep V cut. I had cleavage! The mini dress had ruching at my hips and pinched up, showing off my lean legs with a slight indentation at the crux of my thighs. I was glamour and sex fused together, and I loved it.
No need for eye drops in Mom’s drink tonight, this dress was going to give her a coronary.
"Let's go, Aid. We want to see." Avery shouted, her excitement seeping through the door.
I laughed. "Hold your horses!"
Fluffing my sultry waves, I flipped my mahogany hair to the side and exhaled. "What shoes am I wearing?" I asked, touching up my smoky eyes and pale pink lipstick.
"Open." Avery knocked on the door a minute later.
I cracked the door open enough to grab the shoes, then shut it. I smiled and shook my head. She handed me the shoes I bought at Chanel when I avoided her questions about Kova. The ones I thought I'd break my neck in.
I stepped into them and took one last glance in the mirror. Then I sent up a prayer that I’d live to see tomorrow.
"Ready?" I yelled through the door.
"We were ready yesterday." Avery said full of sarcasm.
Turning the light off, I opened the bathroom door and stepped out to three sets of eyes gawking at me.
"Holy fuck." Came from Hayden. I rolled my bottom lip between my teeth as I watched him. He couldn't tear his wild eyes from me. "Jesus." His guttural voice the only sound in the room. "Aid…"
I tried to pull the hem down. "Is it too small?"
"No."
"It's perfect," Avery said, a Cheshire grin slid across her face. She was proud.
"Wow," was all Holly could add. I chuckled. I guess I looked good.
"Excuse me, but there's something I absolutely must do."
All heads turned toward Hayden as he strode toward me. His blue eyes focused solely on me as he closed the distance and pressed his body to mine. My heart pounded viciously against my ribs and I held my breath. Threading his fingers through the hair at my nape, he angled my head back and looked deep into my eyes.
"You're so fucking gorgeous," he whispered. A little gasp escaped my lips right before he planted his mouth on mine and kissed me.
He kissed me good too, not caring that his sister and Avery were watching behind him. Hayden took charge and slipped his tongue into my mouth, a sensual stroke down the side as he curled his tongue along mine. My heart fluttered, my breath caught. A hot chill broke out over me. He stepped closer and cupped my jaw as he deepened the kiss, wrapping one arm around my lower back and holding me to him. His subtle cologne added to the moment as I fell into his kiss.
Forgetting that anyone else was in the room, I placed my hands on his chest and slid them around his neck. His muscles flexed under my touch and I felt the power of his strength.
A provocative whistle came from the other side of the room, and Hayden broke the kiss. He looked down, one side of his mouth tugged up into a flirtatious grin. His pupils were dilated, and cheeks flushed with a tint of pink. He ran the pad of his thumb along the bottom of my lip, wiping away the lipstick he just smeared.
"Don't be mad."
"I'm not," I said breathlessly. And I wasn't. I was more surprised than anything.
"I had to. You deserved to be kissed, especially when you look this stunning," he said, whispering for only me to hear.
My cheeks bloomed with heat, and I looked away.
"Well," Avery said dramatically. "Someone get me a cigarette. That was hot as fuck. Guess we all know who Adrianna is kissing at midnight."
Twelve
"You know Mom is going to slaughter you for wearing that dress, right?" Xavier stated, giving me a passing look as he sauntered into the makeshift dressing room, followed by Michael and Connor.
Their hands were occupied with bottles of champagne they must've swiped from the kitchen and glass flutes held upside down at the base between their fingers. The glasses clinked together as they walked. I winced inside. Mom would rip them a new one if they ruined any more of her crystal.
Xavier looked back at me again, examining my dress as he peeled the foil from the top of the bottle and threw it to the side.
When he turned away to pour the bubbly, I tugged the hem of my dress down a little.
"Will she be that mad?" Holly asked, walking up next to me. She looked worried.
"Fuming," Xavier answered as he handed me a glass. He still looked like he hadn't slept in days. "Normally I sure as shit wouldn't let my sister walk into the viper pits with her tits and ass out for all to see, but I'll let it slide this time to see her reaction. It's going to be priceless."
"Gee, thanks, asshole."
"Even I know she's going to blow her lid," Connor added, passing out the rest of the champagne flutes. "Your mother needs to loosen the buttons of her cardigan. She's so fucking uptight."
"I can work that right out of her," Michael said with a massive, sleazy grin on his face. His eyes gleamed as he wiggled his brows, and I cringed.
Xavier slapped him on the side of his head, then dropped his hips to the counter, leaning casually next to him. Michael didn't flinch. Instead, his grin reached his eyes.
"That's my mother, you sick fuck. Stop talking about her like that."
It was a known fact that Michael had a serious attraction to women who were older than him and already in relationships. It was like a prerequisite. The way he saw it, if he could make them sway even for a second, it wasn't solid. They were fair game.
"What? Can't stand the thought of calling me Daddy one day?" He chuckled.
"I guess you wouldn't mind if I fucked your sister, then, would you?"
Oh, shit. Xavier was out of line. Then again, he always knew which buttons to push.
"That's not even funny, bro," Michael growled, his gaze deadly.
I revolted at the thought of both scenarios and faked a loud gag. I didn't like the direction of this conversation.
"Michael, the last thing I want to think about is my mom, and your sister for that matter, having sex. Just stop."
"I think about it all the time," he instigated.
"Ew, you're fucking gross, Mike. You think about me having sex?" Avery shouted from the bathroom.
He didn't miss a beat. "No, you weird fuck! Not about you."
"Don't worry about anything Mom says to you, I'll take care of it," Xavier said, bringing the topic back to the center.
I glanced at my glass and swirled the contents. Little spurts of anxiety fizzed and popped inside me the way they did in the glass.
I looked up. "She shouldn't have embarrassed me in front of my friends."
I had no idea where my balls came from.
A little smirk tugged at one corner of Xavier’s mouth. "A little freedom has made you a bit rebellious, I see."
I smiled, a little nervous, a little confident. I wouldn't admit it out loud, but I was worried to see her response.
"Defiant looks good on you," he added.
"I think she looks amazing."
Xavier whipped his head toward Avery and I swear his eyes dilated. "Ave." He dipped his chin, his intense gaze deliberately scanned the length of her body. "You look beautiful." He shot a quick look at Holly. "You too, Holly." But his eyes were already back on Avery while he loosened his tie.
"I look fucking amazing," Michael added, his arrogant tone made us laugh. He ran his hands down the front of his chest and smoothed out his shirt.
"Let's get this show on the road. People to meet, girls to do," Connor said, his voice a deep southern drawl.
I rolled my eyes. That dialect meant Michael would use the same one tonight. They once confessed they only used that voice when they wanted to pick up chicks. He thought girls loved a fine, southern gentleman.
Such pigs. What was funny was that southern girls could spot a fake a mile away. They just didn't know that.
We all raised our glasses, said a quick toast, and emptied the bottles of the remaining bubbly before heading down to the party.
The party was in full swing. There were guests everywhere dressed to the nines, music playing in the background, white gloved servers carrying trays of food and champagne. A proud smile slid across my face. I was enthusiastic about the night, especially since I got to spend i
t with all my friends I'd grown so close to.
A newfound attitude swept through me. It may have been the two glasses of champagne, but I felt free. I decided everything that had happened in the past was going to stay in the past. I wasn't going to dwell about how I could've changed things, or how I should've kept to myself and not engaged in a relationship with my coach.
What's done is done. New year, new me. New outlook, new goals.
Conner and Michael went in the opposite direction to do God knows what. Before they left, they told us if we wanted any alcohol to hit up the pool house, but I wasn't planning on drinking more, and neither were my friends. Possibly another glass of champagne when the ball dropped, but that was it.
Oh, God. Midnight. I could kill Avery. I had a sinking feeling Hayden was going to try and kiss me when the ball dropped.
Locking lips with him again wasn't on the list for the night—or year. An alligator walking on to my lawn was a higher possibility than that. My lips tingled at the memory and I brought my fingers to my mouth, curious as to what was on his mind. Hayden was a good kisser, but then again, I didn't have many kisses to compare it to.
I lifted my eyes toward Hayden and found him taking in the scene in awe. My home looked like something fresh out of a movie, and the more I studied him, more questions crowded my head. We'd kissed once before when I first moved to Cape Coral, a memory long forgotten, and nothing I'd thought would ever, in a million years, happen again.
But it did tonight. I didn't resist. I didn't pull away. I didn't question it. The slow caress of his lips said way more than what I was prepared for. Even though he'd been there for me at the drop of a hat when I needed him the most, I assumed he was disgusted after everything that went down with Kova.
I'd been wrong. So, so wrong. Friends don't kiss friends for the fun of it.
Stopping just before the steps to the deck and against my better judgment, I skimmed the crowd of Wonder Breads looking for one person. Wonder Breads. I laughed to myself at the use of Avery's phrase to describe fake, full of shit kind of people.